Barbarian in a Failed Game

043. The Border Town (3)

“Mr. Gion! You’re back already!”

“Uncle, what happened to those damned folks?”

The moment they entered the border town, the young men who had been guarding the gate rushed towards them.

From a distance, they had seemed like elite soldiers with their disciplined aura, but upon closer inspection, they were just young men, not too different from the mercenaries of Jan’s age that Gion had led out.

“These are children raised in the town.”

Gion finally said after dealing with each of them.

“Most people who settle in the Border Town are either retired mercenaries or something similar, so the children end up like their fathers. Most of them work as mercenaries. The town teaches them the skills they need to survive on their own.”

“That’s fascinating.”

Considering the typically stingy approach to education in Midland, mercenaries tend to regard their skills as an intangible asset.

Ordinarily, they wouldn’t easily share this with others.

If what Gion described was true, then the Border Town was an altruistic community seldom seen in the harsh world of Midland.

“Is that the doing of this so-called town chief?”

“That’s right. The one condition he set for those who settled here was that neighbors in the town should live as family.”

Hearing this, Khan’s curiosity was piqued about the ‘town chief’.

What kind of person was he to create such a community in the hellish Midland, something even 21st century Earth hadn’t achieved?

And to turn retired mercenaries, who were seasoned killers, into loyal followers? It was an unbelievable cleverness for someone in such a rural backwater.

“I’d like to meet them.”

“…Well, as it happens, we’re on our way to see the town chief, so don’t worry. First-time visitors usually meet with them personally.”

“That’s reassuring.”

Pleased with the answer, Khan smiled slightly and followed Gion as they walked through the Border Town.

He was keenly observing his surroundings, drawn by the liveliness that was rare to see since he had landed in this accursed world.

Young men practicing with swords and spears under the watchful eyes of stern middle-aged men. Merchants opening their stalls for business without significant guard. Children boldly approaching swordsmen to play…

“It feels like another world.”

Indeed, it did.

Mercenaries, usually treated everywhere as potential bandits or active murderers, were mingling naturally with common folks, living their daily lives.

He had never imagined witnessing such peace in Midland. The scene felt almost pastoral.

It was as if he had stepped onto an isolated island, not a part of Midland, and with this sensation, Khan and Gion arrived in front of a particularly large building.

It appeared to serve as a town hall, given the variety of people coming and going, but Gion didn’t head for the large building. Instead, he knocked on the door of a small, warehouse-like structure behind it.

“It’s Gion. We encountered a guest during our mission……”

“Come in.”

A young woman’s voice responded from inside the small building, making Khan’s brows twitch.

Creak-

The inside of the building, which looked like a warehouse from the outside, appeared to be a neatly arranged studio room.

The wooden furniture, all seemingly crafted by skilled artisans, exuded a refined charm, and oddly enough, the place smelled not of mustiness but of a forest’s fragrance.

“Gion, you’ve worked hard. And the person behind you is……”

Inside.

A woman greeted them, propping herself up on the bed with just her upper body.

Her light crimson hair cascaded down in waves, and her eyes mirrored the same hue. Though her complexion was pale for some reason, she was so beautiful that her pallor seemed to suit her.

Khan’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Are you a visitor? I see some new faces, and some familiar ones too.”

“Yes, we received some help related to a mission. I heard we’d be visiting the town, so I came in person…”

From the way she discussed matters so officially, there was no doubt she was the ‘chief’ of this border town.

What was strange was her youthful appearance.

Listening to the talks, it seemed she had been the ‘chief’ of the border town from the beginning, which would mean she should be of an age where being called a hunched-over grandmother wouldn’t be surprising.

However, there was no need to find it strange at the moment.

“Elf?”

At Jan’s inadvertent remark, the woman… the elf referred to as the ‘chief’ flashed a smile.

That alone seemed to brighten the room, and Khan couldn’t help but squint his eyes.

‘What the heck. Why is there an elf here.’

*

*

*

Elves are a common race in medieval fantasy works.

They resemble humans but are known as a ‘race of beauty’ for their stunning appearance and live for hundreds of years. While there are differences, they are generally depicted as laid-back and serene.

Recently, there seems to be a tradition of always pairing them with orcs, but Khan wasn’t familiar with that, so he had a strong image of elves as ‘the laid-back ones.’

That was until before he undertook the Midland Quest.

‘That island nation’s detestable race as the chief?’

As the chief smiled, revealing her pointed ears, Khan involuntarily clenched his fist tighter.

Ron’s significant comments about the ‘chief’ weren’t without reason.

“So you are the chief? The one who established this border town?”

“Seems you’re surprised. Warrior from the Frost Gorge.”

Surprised would be an understatement.

The elves in the Midland Quest were far from the commonly depicted laid-back or lecherous elves.

Except for their beauty and longevity.

“…Haha. I see what you’re thinking. However, I’m not exactly an elf. Not a pure elf, that is. That’s why I’m here in Midland, not Paradise.”

The chief revealed with a wry smile, making an unexpected confession.

Khan was about to retort, asking what nonsense she was spouting, when for the first time, he noticed something off about her hair and eye color.

Depending on their lineage, Midland elves usually had green or brownish hues.

But the chief before him had a hue closer to the scarlet often seen in the Argon Kingdom. Her ear tips also seemed somewhat blunt…

Only then did Khan realize she was a half-elf.

“…A half-elf, then.”

“Yes, that’s right. My mother was an elf. Although I’ve never seen her, I suspect she bore me as a slave or something similar.”

“You must have had a hard life.”

“Haha. Well, I can’t complain? Being half an elf has its perks. I possess useful skills and don’t age as quickly.”

The chief casually exposed her vulnerabilities, yet smiled brightly.

However, Khan could not get used to seeing such a bright smile on an elf’s face.

‘A nice elf? What is this…’

“Ah, my apologies. I’ve been rambling on while hosting a guest. I heard you dealt with some rampaging bandits recently, and for that, I’m truly grateful.”

The chief bowed politely, and Jan, somewhat taken aback, bowed in return, catching Khan’s eye.It seems that being from the Mage Tower and encountering the elves of Paradise quite often could be the reason. Jan appeared to be pondering over how to approach the town chief.

Finding his predicament rather amusing, the town chief continued with a chuckle, “The movements of the bandits have been rather unusual lately. They’ve expanded their territory to include even the border town, which they typically left alone. Consequently, travelers and mercenaries are frequently attacked. But having been severely dealt with by a warrior such as yourself, their activities might diminish a bit.”

“Haven’t you thought about subduing them? Considering the strength your people possess, dealing with a band of bandits should be feasible,” suggested Ron, who had some acquaintance at this place. The town chief’s smile faintly waned.

“Of course, we tried. We even launched a surprise attack on what we believed to be their hideout, with the help of townsman who are retired from active duty and mercenaries who often visit the border town. But…”

It was a failure, the chief lamented gloomily.

“They had hidden their true strength. The number of forces they deploy for raids is on a completely different level. Likely, they are deserters from a regular army, trained and organized.”

“We did put up a decent fight, though. We managed to reduce their numbers significantly. The problem arose when their ‘real forces’ showed up as the situation became desperate. Out of nowhere, heavily armored cavalry appeared. Had the chief not assisted us, more than half of us would have perished right there.”

Khan was at a loss for words. Heavy cavalry? Do bandits now roam around in armor?

“If this persists, we can hardly regard them as mere bandits anymore. The town could be in danger.”

“Exactly… The town might not fall immediately if attacked, but if the bandit horde runs rampant, the border town won’t be able to sustain itself.”

“That’s why I’ve taken the young ones out with me. I can handle a bunch of troublemakers on my own. It stops the raids, and it’s also good training for the kids.”

“Wait. Have you tried asking the guild for support? The guild master would surely offer help if you requested it.”

Maya, affiliated with the mercenaries’ guild, found it odd that the border town was trying to resolve the issue independently.

‘After all, even if it involves dealing with a group possessing heavy cavalry, he could probably wipe them out.’ Khan silently agreed, recalling the guild master’s prowess. The town chief shook his head.

“However, he would demand a price. A place for the guild in the border town or to distance ourselves from the nobility. That won’t do. The border town must remain a place of freedom. It’s against the spirit of our town to let any group exert its influence.”

“That’s unfortunate…”

“But we can still seek help from mercenaries. We’ll pay a fair compensation for their services.”

That was a pointed remark.

The chief implied he wouldn’t refuse assistance if the guild master offered help as an individual, not as the guild’s representative.

‘As if that would happen.’

Having worked closely with the guild master, Maya knew better than Khan that the guild master was willing to stoop to any level for the guild’s interests, even to barbarian considered inferior.

Ron, with his distinguished career in the Argon mercenary circles, seemed aware of the situation, clearing his throat to redirect the attention.

“Well. Discussing such complexities here is pointless. What matters is how we’ll deal with those bandits. We’re not planning to just watch, are we?”

“First, we’ll look for mercenaries willing to take on those heavy cavalrymen, excluding anyone linked to the nobility or guilds. It won’t be easy…”

“Do we need to look that far…?”

“Eh? What do you mean by that… Ah!”

As the town chief’s eyes widened in realization and rolled towards him, Khan met her gaze with a ‘what are you expecting me to do’ look. However, the chief, after pondering for a moment and hesitating, finally seemed to make a big decision, her eyes shining with determination.

‘Can one be loudly silent just with facial expressions?’

Khan didn’t know what the half-elf had in mind, but he was sure it was going to inconvenience him. He was about to outright refuse when suddenly…

“Chief! It’s a disaster! The bandits have come all the way to the palisade…!”

Bang!

The door sounded as if it would break down from the force of the entry. That urgency, along with the pale look on the young man’s face who opened the door, caused everyone in the room to turn towards Khan in what seemed like a rehearsed move.

‘Damn it. Bloody medieval times…’

Yeah, he knew this was bound to happen. Muttering to himself, Khan reached for his axe handle and said, “Better prepare a generous fee.”

TL’s Corner:

In this chapter we find out that the chief is a she. So pardon misgendering her. Korean most of the time is gender neutral when talking about someone, unless they specifically tell that that someone is male or female.

Namja for male and Yoja for female.